Friday, October 31, 2014

The story is told how cats, literary creatures that they are, glean the latest news, stock reports and foreign affairs from the publication delivered whenever the opportunity arises...via pee mail. It's read, or rather flehmmed, with concentration, much the way humans partake of the Yale Law Review, Bloomsbury, or Atlantic Review. As an addition to the aesthetic experience, this song was created to be hummed while reading and/or sung on special occasions such as birthdays, weddings and art receptions. It's also a "trick" quickly learned and performed by the beggars, esp the teenagers.*

* A former neighbor, an elementary teacher, began the tradition of having them perform tricks for their treats; her list included screaming. My usual response to the first attempt is an obviously affected "That was pathetic!" I give a count of three and am, each year, amazed at the enthusiasm embodied in the second and occasionally third performance as the children embrace the encouragement. Watching the teenagers reactions to learning and performing Cat Odor Review is incomparably more valuable (to me) than the wealth of candy I reward them with. Awwwww, maaAAAAANNN!

Familial responsibilities require I return to Albuquerque every now and then. I use my spare time to research some of the incidents that influence our economy. What follows is an example of the complexity of the global economy. I think it also adds evidence to the idea that blaming the President (see: That Obama!!), whoever s/he may be, is merely the easiest way to express frustration with the fact it's (our political system) a juggernaut.This article....http://news.yahoo.com/lack-mechanics-threatens-u-air-force-target-date-032317046--finance.htmlgot me wondering about United Technology Corporation's (UTC) role in the military industrial complex. As the next article shows, it has intimate ties to China.

http://news.yahoo.com/lack-mechanics-threatens-u-air-force-target-date-032317046--finance.htmlThe article above talks about how UTC scapegoated two of its divisions, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) and Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, letting them take the blame for UTC's traitorous activities. In 2012 P&WC paid a $75 million slap-on-the-wrist fine to the U.S. Government (who knew as part of the Fair Trade Agreement that Canadian companies would be liable to the U.S.?) for giving software to the Chinese that enabled them to perform transgendering modifications to commercial helicopter engines & morph them into sophisticated warships."P&WC exported controlled U.S. technology to China, knowing it would be used in the development of a military attack helicopter in violation of the U.S. arms embargo with China," said U.S. Attorney David Fein of Connecticut. (para 6 in this article) From this article: The government said the $75 million settlement included $20.7 million in criminal fines, forfeitures and other penalties to be paid to the Justice Department, and $55 million in payments to the State Department as part of a consent agreement resolving 576 administrative export control violations. The following paragraph is excerpted from the article below it. Although UTC denied awareness, if you've been reading the leadership/motivational literature for the last couple of decades you know that's an unacceptable excuse. And as noted in the article below, UTC admits that what their "children" were doing gave them access to over $2 billion in commercial helicopter business. Hey! C'mon Justice Dept., wha's gd fer China is gd fer Uhmayrihcuh.

KNEW FROM OUTSET

According to court documents, Pratt & Whitney Canada allegedly knew from the outset of the Z-10 [helicopter] project in 2000 that China was developing a military helicopter, but failed to notify its U.S. parent and Hamilton Sundstrand until years later.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/28/us-usa-china-helicopters-idUSBRE85R1AG20120628Also from the above article...The problem arose when Hamilton Sundstrand delivered certain modifications to the engine control software, which allowed China to test and develop the Pratt & Whitney Canada engines as it was developing the new military helicopter....Western experts said the Z-10, first delivered to China's People's Liberation Army in 2009, is developing into one of the world's most modern and capable combat helicopters.In a later paragraph we read of the true impact of the "fine."....the penalties are unlikely to affect the company's sales in China, which accounted for almost $10 billion of its 2011 sales.A bit about...Louis R. Chênevert, CEO of UTC

Personal life and honors

While CEO of United Technologies Corporation in 2008, Chênevert earned a total compensation of $22,032,175, which included a base salary of $1,318,974, a cash bonus of $4,294,844, stock granted of $4,376,921, options granted of $11,774,710, and other compensation of $266,726.[7]

How much of this can we blame, or thank, President Obama for? Perhaps most importantly, we can be grateful to the Federal Court for not fining UTC more than they did. After all, as an American-based multinational corporation paying its CEO over 22M, we know there's a chance any of us could someday stand in Mr. Chenevert's shoes. We wouldn't want to discourage children by spanking UTC too hard. And while we're waiting to be discovered, we can sleep soundly knowing that the secrets UTC shared with the Chinese will, in the long run, hopefully benefit us all...and especially Americans. Maybe we're not sure how, but that's okay; the new Fall programs have started.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

I'm based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, the place where everyone who's been everywhere settles. It has a good airport, superb green chili and property is still cheap. Our 85 sq mtr (900 sq ft) home is in a blue-collar neighborhood where folks bought (they're now too poor to afford new) new cars because everyone else did, drink Bud Lite beer because everyone else does, and let their dogs bark all day because they're completely self-absorbed. It's always a great relief to leave.Several years ago a dyslexic truck-driver neighbor whose politics were gleaned from TV and dock workers began affecting the expletive: That Obama! When asked, "Wha'd he do now?" he'd spout sound-bite drivel or sweeping generalities from talk-radio. He bought a white SUV and then had it painted black after his peers informed him black was all the rage. In this part of the world where the sun shines 365 days a year and it gets HOT, a black vehicle, like having a child when you're thirteen, is nothing but proof of stupidity. (They used to wait until fifteen but cultural recidivism is rampant.)In a town where you'd think EVERYONE would bicycle, gas prices are closely watched (thaaaAAAAATTT's Albuq!!). The pricing velocilutions are tied to elections and many people fill their backyards with olde 55-gallon-drums in anticipation. It's like playing the market...and pickups that have never hauled anything more than a six-pack line up at the pumps with as many as they can hold. There've been several fires that've vied with Burning Man for media time.

Friday, October 17, 2014

I've known of Forest Road 225 for some time, but hadn't been able to explore. Perhaps your eyesight is better than mine, but I can sorta make out this view from Highway 1. It's about 25 miles N of T or C. For those in small vehicles, googling Springtime Canyon, Socorro County, NM and/or adding Truth or Consequences as a destination will show you the road.

I camped across from the dam.

In the morning I strolled over to admire the masonry work.

TheeeeeeeEEEEERRRRRREE's Eggbert! (slightly right of center near top of hill)

We trundled up the road a bit, but the rain drove us out. I explored a bit on the East side of I-25, but the rains had made the dirt roads impassable. Next time. A well written trail guide to the Apache Kid Trail from Springtime Canyon to San Mateo Peak is on New Mexico Meanders blogpost of 2014-10-18.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Perhaps it's a delusion, but as one ages, ruminations become more protracted; that is, they take longer. To add to the experience this morning while pondering the role we play in each other's lives I added the dimension of time. Have u noticed how sometimes things'll take decades to have an effect; others are instantaneous?And perhaps u 2 have noticed it's often impossible to tell when it's happening. Oh sure, sometimes you can feel the connection when you're making love. But what about the times in the checkout line (the one at the store, not the one to the Pearly Gates) when someone told you something that's stayed with you the rest of your life?One that occurred in my mid-30s: I was then a marketing analyst (diff from analist) at the University of New Mexico Press. I was strolling back to my office from a satisfying lunch (paunch not even embryonic) when a woman of slender build and dark, intense eyes wearing a t-shirt and black form-fitting slacks moved from her line of travel and stopped in front of me. I, of course, stopped too. As our eyes met, I noted a focused look that, as I was soon to learn, foretold a moment of amazing worth. Using her index finger as an attention-getter she positioned it directly under "Mr. Nose" where it quivered like a cat's tail before the pounce. Then, in a tone that left no room for rejoinder she said, "When someone gives you something, say thank you!" And with nothing more, she stepped aside and proceeded on her way. It took a moment but soon I too resumed. Although this bit of manner was first imparted when I was still a toddler, THIS time it made an impression. It was soon after that (incident) that I noticed how my karate instructor always concluded our phone conversations with an enthusiastic, "Thanks!" It's been over twenty-five years since the woman on the street, but the memory is still vivid. And to this day...I follow her advice.Watch for the small but pivotal (link is to a video) role of the cat.

Monday, October 13, 2014

I like to move every couple of days and after some map perusal settled on Engle (sometimes spelled Engel and/or Engele), on the east side of Elephant Butte Lake. It turned out to be nothing more than a junction with buildings belonging to the Armendaris Ranch (a Ted Turner conservation collaboration). At some point I'd noticed the Point of Rocks on my topo map; they were due south, on the only road, about 20 miles.It was nearing suppertime (4 pm) when the pavement ended. I was bumping along enjoying the afternoon when suddenly the phone rang!! It's illegal to use devices and drive so I immediately looked for somewhere to pull over and there, less than 50 feet ahead, was a two-track into the wilds. Her timing is sssOOOOOOoooo exquisite!!

I wondered who had put the rock there...and why.

Eager to be away from the main thoroughfare, I tried multitasking.....checking the washouts to see if Eggbert could get through. She felt ignored, but I couldn't stop myself when I noticed this magnificent specimen...further evidence of global warming.

After moving around the bend we unpacked. During the night a couple of trains went by but they didn't honk-and-wave so it was tolerable. In the morning I hiked up the nearby hill and was astonished to recognize Virgin Galactic's spaceport just over the way. If you know what you're looking at, you can make out the huge SE facing windows of the hangar-main spaceport facility. For those unfamiliar, it's that dark-brown line at the far right exactly half-way down. The lighter area above the dark-brown is the roof. Virgin Galactic's website has more photos. (10/31/14 Crash kills one injures another.)

The main entrance.

No access to the front yet, at least not for the hoi-poloi.Here's Eggbert in full regalia.The bugnet is a double bed REI special. Note trenching tool at lower left and "new" hat on dashboard. I got it for $1.00 at the Mental Health thrift store in Socorro. Every Tuesday is half off. It fits better than any before.

Friday, October 10, 2014

Here at N34.11855, W106.81048, we're at the northern most range of the ocotillo. And this is the fuzziest I've ever seen...evidence, along with signs of recent grading where the arroyos cross the road, of the wet summer.

They claim we're in a drought, but the truth is it's a desert and the years they tho't (they call that thinking?!!) were normal were actually a period of unusual wetness.

Now that they've documented the (still unpredictable) weather for 40 years there are a few iconoclasts who're hinting that maybe *this* is normal. Of course, those who've grown accustomed to their entitlements don't want to hear it.

Oh, and while yer at it, how about bailing out all us other "artisans?" Whaddya mean you only do banks & S & Ls?When you get up close they almost look fuzzy.

Saturday, October 4, 2014

I envy those who can evoke images with words and enjoyed this bit from a friend in Berkeley. She, in a prev life, lived in Africa for a while.

October, 3, 2014

I'm sitting here on our back porch in amazing heat for Berkeley - the 90s - listening to the wisteria pods - do you have those purple vines in Albuquerque? - as they dry and burst in this heat, sounding like little BB guns shooting/popping their seeds into the yards and fences. When I first experienced this a few years ago I told ------ (name deleted to preserve the innocent) I thot some kid was out there pea-shooting at me while I was gardening.

Wisteria

Wisteria Pods

I realize I'm basically a Sacamenna girl, used to the dry heat and warm evenings of summer. I can almost recall the smell of gardenias then. And sprinklers on wet lawns. The typical Berkeley evening is cool, with a real breeze coming off the bay.

I've gotten used to it, and even welcome the fresh air sometimes as a relief from the other smells of a dry summer and city living.

Yet it's nice to sit out here and not get a sweater. To get up in the morning and put on shorts and t-shirt. Africa was like this too.

About Me

﻿I retired from arts administration in 2004. In January of 2010 I went nomadic in my 3-cylinder 1999 Chevy (Suzuki) Metro hatchback that got 50mpg. Then, after an altercation in April 2016 with a RAM 2500 (my fault) I switched to a 1996 Geo Tracker with 4WD.
Currently (2/6/18) in the wilds of southern Arizona enjoying the warmth of climate change.
Destination is by whim.
-- email: mfhalb@gmail.com --
More photos on flickr at:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mfhalb/sets